


Silt

by glorious_spoon



Series: Tumblr Prompt Fic [8]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Head Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 14:36:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glorious_spoon/pseuds/glorious_spoon
Summary: "We're rescuing you," Dustin informed him.Steve blinked, his wet eyelashes full of silt, then mumbled, "Some rescue."





	Silt

**Author's Note:**

> For a tumblr prompt by laylainalaska:
> 
> _Stranger Things, the monster hunting OT3 or Steve & the kids (whichever you'd rather), head trauma or drowning?_

“Get— you have to keep his head out of the water.”

“I’m _trying_ ,” Dustin hissed, splashing another tidal wave of icy swamp water over him and Steve both as he tried to shift his grip on the log that was the only thing keeping the two of them afloat. “He’s heavy.”

He was also unnervingly limp and still, his head lolling back against Dustin’s shoulder, blood from the split across his hairline leaking down his face, diluted with muddy green water. Dustin was trying really hard not to think about what kind of horrible microbes were currently getting into Steve’s bloodstream, although if they didn’t get out of here soon microbes were going to be the least of their problems. It had been almost three minutes since Steve had gone into the water, and he still hadn’t woken up.

“Would you _hurry,_ ” he said, his voice coming out high and tight, too loud in the stillness. If any of those things were still around—

“I’m trying,” Mike snapped. He was chest-deep in the murky water, clinging to a floating log as he paddled awkwardly downstream toward them. The slow current made eddies around his body, and the log— or at least, Dustin hoped that was the current and not an alligator or something.

“You don’t think there are alligators in here, do you?” he said out loud, and immediately wished he hadn’t. The idea seemed more real after being spoken out loud. Something knocked against his calf, and he yelped, expecting to feel the bite of teeth, but it was just a stick. Or possibly one of Steve’s feet knocking against him in the current. He felt as boneless as a corpse.

That was another horrible thought, so Dustin immediately tried to stop thinking it. He could feel the cold, shallow huffs of Steve’s breath against his neck, so he knew Steve wasn’t dead. They were going to get out of here and they were going to be fine. Steve was just unconscious. He wasn’t _dead._

“It’s too cold for alligators,” Mike said, pretty confidently for a guy who’d nearly failed his last Bio test. “I wish Jane was here.”

Dustin also wished Jane was here. More to the point, he wished they _weren’t_ here. This was the stupidest idea he’d had since… well, since he’d tried to raise a baby Demogorgon in a turtle tank, actually, and maybe Dustin should have just stopped trying to have ideas ever, since it never seemed to work out for anyone.

There was a low, creaking noise just beside him, and he flinched hard before realizing that it was just Steve. His head moved slightly against Dustin’s shoulder, his wet hair dragging unpleasantly at him. There were leaves in it, and algae. He twisted slightly, and groaned again.

“Hey,” Dustin said, caught between relief at this solid evidence of life and worry. Steve was a lot bigger than him, and it was hard enough hanging onto him when he wasn’t moving. If he freaked out and started thrashing, they were both going under. “Hold still.”

Another groan, and Steve’s eyes blinked open, his wet lashes full of grit.

“...Dustin?” he said finally, sounding dazed. 

“Hold still,” Dustin said again, tightening his grip around Steve’s ribs. That made Steve suck in a pained breath through his teeth, and right, yeah, Dustin remembered that the giant thing that had looked like it was made out of rocks had whaled Steve pretty good in the side before cracking him upside the head; he probably had cracked ribs, too. Bruises, at least.

“The fuck,” Steve said, somewhat more clearly, and _totally ignoring_ Dustin’s very sensible instruction, he twisted again, lifting his chin to peer around. Dustin’s arm started to slip. He yelped out a swear word, and then Steve was catching himself on the submerged branch, one strong arm looping over the mossy bark. “What the fuck is going on?”

“We’re rescuing you,” Dustin informed him, shifting his own grip on the branch. It was a lot easier just keeping himself afloat. As long as Steve didn’t pass out and go under again, anyway. “Also, you were unconscious for almost five minutes. How’s your head?”

“Shitty,” Steve said vaguely. He was resting his cheek against the the slimy moss with absolutely no regard for how disgusting it was, but he seemed to be tracking more or less okay. For now, at least. “What happened?”

“A rock monster cracked your skull and dropped you in the river,” Mike said succinctly, sounding out of breath and annoyed. He was almost to them. “Like Dustin said. We’re rescuing you.”

“Yeah, so don’t pass out again,” Dustin added. “You weigh like five hundred pounds, I don’t know if I can catch you again.”

Steve made a weird, dry coughing noise, and it took Dustin several panicked moments to realize that he was _laughing_ , the stupid asshole. “Some rescue.”

“If you don’t like it, you can stay out here,” Mike said, and then he was bumping against their log. Steve just stared at him, looking dazed, so Dustin reached out to grab at it before the current could carry them away. 

“Th’ fuck?” Steve slurred again.

“It’s a raft,” Dustin said, grabbing for it and only getting a small mouthful of silty river water in the transfer. For a moment, he was worried that he was actually going to have to pry Steve off of the submerged branch, but then he shook his head again, slowly, like he was clearing water out of it. His sodden hair slapped against his cheek.

“Raft, right,” he mumbled, and grabbed for it. His aim was off, though, and his head went under water for a brief, terrifying moment before it emerged again, coughing and spitting. Dustin reached out and caught a handful of cloth, hung on grimly, and _dragged_ with all his might, after several confused and flailing moments, Steve was draped half-over their makeshift raft, retching into the murky water.

“Gross,” Mike muttered, but he sounded almost as worried as Dustin felt. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Yes, _please_ , let’s get out of here,” Dustin said. His hand was still clinging to Steve’s shirt. He couldn’t make his fingers unclench. Mike was paddling them grimly toward the shore, and after a moment, he managed to start kicking, too. 

It seemed to take forever before they were finally tumbling into the silty mud on the bank of the river. Mike helped him haul Steve up away from the water, and it was only once they were all on dry land that he could finally make himself let go.


End file.
